Rabbi the answer to Blue Jays' prayers?

Thornhill-born Zev Icyk says he’s “the only rabbi in the world with the ability to manage in the majors” and he wants to tell Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos (pictured) all about it. (DAVE ABEL/QMI Agency file photo)

Latest News

BOB ELLIOTT, QMI Agency

TORONTO - New York Yankees executive Lee Mazzilli, who helped the 1989 Blue Jays win the AL East, would be an excellent candidate for the club’s vacant managerial position.

Same for Alan Trammell, Arizona Diamondbacks bench coach.

Or Jim Tracy, former Colorado Rockies manager.

And, of course, Jays bench coach Don Wakamatsu.

Mazzilli, Trammell, Tracy and Wakamatsu have all been mentioned before .

All have previous managing experience.

All kinds of applicants for the job are trying get their names to Jays president Paul Beeston and general manager Alex Anthopoulos at 1 Blue Jay Way.

Now, we have a new party ...

“I have drive, motivation, experience and personality to take the Jays where Alex Anthopoulos wants them to go,” an e-mail titled ‘The Jays’ vacant manager position’ read.

“The Jays would be the most aggressive and exciting team in the bigs. I am the only rabbi in the world with the ability to manage in the majors.”

We called the phone number in the e-mail and answering was Zev Icyk, studying at the Rabbinical College of America, one of the largest Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic Yeshivas, in Morristown, N.J.

“I just got married,” Icyk said. “My wife Sara asked, ‘why devote your life to baseball since you were three years old and not apply?’ If I can get an interview with Mr. Alex Anthopoulos, I’ll be on a plane to Toronto the next day.”

Icyk, 25, is from Thornhill. He pitched for the Canadian Thunderbirds under coach Allan (Tex) Montgomery, and attended Muscatine Community College in Iowa in 2008-09 as Warren Icyk.

While he didn’t throw hard, Icyk threw a no- hitter his sophomore year, his Cardinals beating the Culver-Stockton Wildcats 9-1. Then he transferred to D’Youville College in Buffalo.

“The Jays need life, they had no bunting, no stealing this year,” Icyk said. “The Jays were sleeping on the field, like pieces of wood.”

Icyk pointed out how Anthopoulos started working for his hometown team, the Montreal Expos, “as a gifted young man and look at him now.”

“When there is a person fit for the job it doesn’t matter whether he’s 40, 50 60, or 25 like me,” Icyk said. “I know how to motivate. I like to think everyone would respect me.”

Icyk said that the Jays have had terrible managers recently.

“We have never played with intensity, have never produced runs since,” said the young man whose favourite player was John Olerud. “One thing for sure, if a Chabad rabbi is the manager, the Jays will be the most hyped team in 2013.

“The hype paired with the young talent-filled roster that the Jays already have could be something very special. What do they have to lose?”

If the Jays go the conventional route and stick with experience ... Tracy managed the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Rockies 11 seasons; Trammell three with the Detroit Tigers; Wakamatsu two with the Seattle Mariners and Mazzilli two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles.

Mazzilli was hired by co-GMs Jim Beattie, now a pro scout with the Jays, and Mike Flanagan, Mazzilli’s teammate with the 1989 Jays. Baltimore owner Peter Angelos insisted that the Orioles coaching staff remains in place.

“I’m not sure how much Lee got fair shot in Baltimore,” said someone familiar with the Orioles situation. “At least two of the coaches thought they should have been hired.”

Mazzilli won 78 games in 2004 and was fired 107 games into the next season.

Along with Mookie Wilson, Mazzilli arrived in separate deals with the New York Mets at the July 31 deadline. At the time the Jays sat three games behind the Orioles. Jays scout Al LaMacchia told Mazzilli, “with so many Italians in Toronto, you’ll own the city.”

The two ex-Mets helped the Jays go 37-19 the final two months to clinch the AL East title in the eighth inning of Game 161.

With the Jays down 3-1, Wilson and Fred McGriff hit run-scoring singles and George Bell hit a scoring fly ball to bring home Wilson with the winner.

Moreso than the World Series years was Cito Gaston’s best managing job, taking over for Jimy Williams, fired after a 12-24 start.

Wilson hit .298 with two homers and 17 RBIs and a .681 OPS, scoring 32 runs in 33 games, while Mazzilli, who pulled a groin on a wet Comiskey Park field, hit .227 with four homers, 11 RBIs and an .850 OPS.